The Washington critic., 1887-02-28
THE VISITORS GUIDE.
Objects of Interest in and About III
National Capital.
THE GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.
Parks, Squares, Statues, Gardens ana
Other Points of Attraction.
TEE WAY TO REACH THEM.


more objects of interest to the visitor
han any other on the continent, and
brief directory Of Its prominent points
will be Of service to the vast number Of
persons who annually resort TO the po.
itical metropolis. For 1t Is estimated
hat over three hundred thousand
strangers pay q visit every year to this
city to behold the varied objects of In.
terest which 20 thickly stud the his
toric "Ten Miles Square"
The system or Numbering Houses.
snas are I'D h1 to
adopted In Philadelphia, is nsed-one hun
dred numbers being allotted to each square
or block-commencing ut First street west,
running west, First street east, running
easNA street north, running north, and A
street south. running south. The odd num-
bers are always on the Iighthand side go
Ing from the Capitol. and the even numbers
on the ieft.hand side. The city Is divided
Into four quarters or sections, northeast and
northwest, southeast and southwest, the
streets being designated accordingly; those
running north and south numerically, and
those running east and west by the letters
of the alphabet, tho dividing lines being
North and South Capitol streets, running
on line due north and south from the Cap
itol ard East Capitol street, and continue
ton on the same west Of the Capitol, run
ming cue east and west.
The Capitol.
This great building ia the central point OF the
original District, and is tho largest edltlce
in the country It's centre marks the Me-
Immediately under the dome, is the part
first built. It was partially destroyed by tho
British In 1874, but was completely restored
by 1877. II incloses the "crypt'-where the
placed, the Library, the Rotnnda, the old
Representatives Hall, now tho Gallery OF
Statuary, and the old Senate Chamber, now
the supreme Courtroom. The old Supreme
pied by the Law Branch OF the Library.
The cornerstone Of the Capitol extension
the north and south wings-was laid July 4,
1851, Daniel Webster delivering the oratlon
Of tho occasion from the balcony of the
Library. The south wing contains the
House of Representatives, and the north
wing the Senate Chamber. The rotunda Is dis
tingulshed for its historic paintings, for the
famous bronze doors. with their bas
reliefs, and for Brum,di's frescoings. In the
Potomac marble, representing faces OF GER
tain American statesmeu-a picturesque
freak Of nature. From the little rotunda,
Immediately north of the great rotunda, the
winding way. From the top OF the dome, OF
as far as the visitor can ascend, the view
OF the surrounding country is magnificent
The Capitol grounds, which formerly were
homey and formal IN appcaranSSe hnyf
park and are now most exquisitely beauti
ful. The east base of tho Capitol Is SOY
feet aboyc ordinary low tide In the Potomac
The total height from east base TO the toI
the statue Of the Goddess Of Liberty. 10h
feet, making the total height to the crest ol
the statue SC7lf feet. This crest is ls6O feet
higher than the west gate Of the grounds
IND set above low ,de In the
ington Monument, which Is immediately
west. The building Is 751 feet long by 80
wide, and covers IN acres. 1t is the fines
and largest public building In the world
handsomest. 1t is moreover the growth q
less than q century-a fact which adds K
its beauty and interest. The original Capi'
,ol, or centre building, Is an imitation
pSa hS4ss nGs sas The 9RS Vs% S em ns the MaS,
portico at night, when the lamps nre lit u
the public grounds and tho lights of the cit.
illuminate the darkness Is one of tho mos
beautiful and picturesque In the world and
Is well worth journey OF thousand mile
The White House.
From the west balcony Of tho Capitol, lookint
down Pennsylvania avenue, the Whit,
House is seen rearing Its snowy-hued WALL
ABOVE tHG ucIse tlldsS Vi lOlldRt tIuJ ciIl
bowers 1t, like gigantic calla lily springlnl
up amid Its enfolding green blades. Wer'
1t not for the partly Intervening Treasur!
building the view. Of the White House from
the Capitol would be full and complete. Tn
White House Is the center Of Uptown" a
the Capitol is the center Of "Down town.
1t is beautifully located, the view from tn
south windows covering the whole southern
front ofthe city, as the view from the nortl
up Sixteenth street west exhibits the bes
rlnr nf NnrfbCpQf
The White House Is copy Of the palace o
the Duke of Leinster at Dublin. with tn
addition of a large porch on the north front
which was added during Andrew jackson
administration. The reservation In whicl
1t stands embraces nearly 81 acres. Th
main entrance Is on the north, reached b.
the Pennsylvania avenue cars. IL Is tw'
stories high on the north. Is built of whit
free-stone, 40 feet long by So wide. 1t con
tains OH the first floor the famous Green
Red, Blue and East rooms, the State Dininl
Room and the great conservatories. Tn
Blue Room Is the Presidents official recer
Of his family. The East Room, originall
designed for banquet hall and SO used q
late as 1887, and IN the latter part Of tn
century used 9s a drying-room FOR clotne
feet high, 80 feet long and 40 wide. II
open to visitors every day except Sundays
Upstairs are the Cabinet room, the privat
Offices, the Presidents Office, the, libbrar
and the family apartments. All thes
rooms except the latter are open to visitor.
by special permission, at suitable hours.
Lafayette square.
Due north from the White House is Lafayett
Square, the first public reservation In Wash
ington that was improved. IL contains til
equestrian statue Of Andrew jackson, b
Clark Mills: Many of Its trees are, old foress
part a specimen Of the old formal landscap
gardening so fashionable In England tw
hundred years ago, a style that was In
ported into this country. Lafayette Squar
a bst enaeseyS yeaESs Se s
which st. Johns Church Is built, and tn
square east, on which are situated tho Al
torney- Generals office formerly the Freed
mans Bank), the Surgeon. Generals ofic
merly used as the United states Bank
Commodore Decatur's house, corner FL
teenth ard a-half and Il streets, and I'll
old Club House, near which Philip Barto
Key was killed by Daniel Z. Sickles, Men
ber of Congress from New York. The las
bodies from this graveyard were not r,
moved until 1870.
st. Johns 4. Il. Church.
st. Johns p. e. Church, which has been ofte
called the State Church because more Pres
dents have worshipped there. than at an
tecnth streets. it was built in 1915 and o.
larged In 1870. In II have worshlpped Pre-
idents Madison, Monroe, John QuinC
Adams Though the latter was Il Congreg;
tlonallstj Martin Van Buron, though he b.
longed to the Dutch Reformed Church, Ua
rison, Tyler, Polk, Taylor, Fillmore (thoug
the latter was a Unitarian, Pierce, Bucl
anan and Arthur, Presidents Lincoli
johnson and Grant have also attended y
vine services here although not steadily, l
interior reminds one very forcibly of u
old, dim English country Episcopal churche
The Treasury Department..
The Treasury Department. is east OF the VIII
House and extends the whole length of Il
front between pennsylvania aud New Yol
avenues, II is 6S2 feet long by 300 feet wild
The central east portion Is built of freoston
rebuilt in 1861, while the other parts We
commenced In 1855 and built Of grant
The Cash Room IN this building Is bea
tifVl apartment In the north wing, the o
trance TO which is from the north pore
The vaults are under the Cash Room ~
can be seen on written permit given
the treasurer of the United States, who
office Is In the north east angle on the fir
floor. This permit must be shown the cas
Ter who will detail guides to take the VII
tor into the great bullion chests of the con